I had to get up extra early for my lesson on Friday because my CFI had to give a tour of the Tower to some kids at 10am. I hopped on an earlier train and I JUST made it. I’m not very good at timing in the morning, and the subway was going EXTRA slow. I also forgot it was rush hour and a lot more people would be buying tickets. I walked up to the machine right as the train was pulling in, I got my ticket and RAN for it! I walked in just as the doors shut.

We decided I’d do my second solo since it was going to be quick and he couldn’t really stay. I’d stay in the pattern and he’d watch a few and then leave. He helped me prep the plane a bit but left. It was weird pulling out with no one to wave goodbye to! Well, that’s a lie, the fueler was there and he was super excited for me and told me he’d watch some landings.

I know I shouldn’t have been taking pictures but it was pretty!

I taxied to the runway and remembered to request touch and go’s, unlike last time. The controller did instruct me to do something I’d never heard before. Climb until advised. Whatever, I did it. It was due to traffic coming in from the north and they passed right by in the downwind. I was short on time to begin with and the patterns were huge, I didn’t think there was that much traffic, but I guess there was. I only got in three landings. The first one, I floated a bunch, but set it down nicely. I did, for the second time ever, forget to retract the flaps before adding full power. I immediately retracted them all at once before I lifted off. The plane did lift a bit, acted weird but I controlled it and made sure I stayed in ground effect a bit longer to make sure I had enough airspeed to climb. The second landing was great. My third was a bit hard and flat.

This was my base but it was about 5 miles out!

During my pattern work, I heard my old instructor on the radio with another student. I always want to say hi, but I know that wouldn’t be appropriate. So I refrain.

I taxi back to the parking ramp. Forget to call for fuel before I turn off the plane. Here’s why that matters, I had to push the plane back by myself for the first time, ever. I can’t do it. I tried so hard; I did everything I could think of doing. Just pushing the nose without the tow bar, pushing the struts, nothing was working. My instructor said to text him if I had problems pushing it back so I did. I felt so lame. I have to start doing push ups, I can’t even do one so I should have known that pushing a plane back would be impossible. He sent someone from the FBO over to help me. He called and we were talking as they pulled up. Two guys. It was that awkward thing where I was trying to have two conversations at once, trying not to be rude to either but probably coming off as rude anyway. The one guy showed me a trick to sit on the tail, lift the nose wheel off the ground and use my legs more to push it back. I like it! I hope it works, or I’ll strategically have to schedule all my solos when someone has the plane right after me. I guess the one guy is also a member of the club and we talked a bit. He figured out who I was because he says I’m scheduled so much (and I’m the only girl on the schedule for the 152) but he didn’t say that.

I had to finally walk back to the train station. My CFI was very dad-like and wanted me to take a cab back because apparently there are guys who hang out at a gas station on the way he thinks are seedy. I walked, suburban cabs kind of freak me out. I learned I don’t walk as fast as I thought I did and I again just made the train. I had to run through the parking lot to make it. Lots of stress, but worth getting in another lesson and a solo one!

Nice post. The first solo landings are realy something special; you are all alone, with no help, you have to manage everything on your own. On my solo flight, my headset felt in 2 parts, so I had to manage the plane, comunications, and everything else with no help… 🙂 Safe landings!